The sports segment of the booming restaurant industry is getting more competitive by the day. But there’s one brand that continues to pave the way as the rapidly growing leader: Buffalo Wings & Rings.

Backed by its club-level atmosphere and commitment to quality food and customer service, the brand experienced impressive success in 2016. Over the course of the last year, seven new Buffalo Wings & Rings restaurants opened their doors for business while another 12 franchise agreements were signed. That means that as the brand heads into the new year, it’s perfectly positioned to reach its goal of opening one restaurant every month.

“It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come as a brand in the last few years. We’ve set ourselves up for one new opening every month. We couldn’t be more excited about our pipeline for 2017,” said Philip Schram, chief development officer for Buffalo Wings & Rings. “As we continue to expand our reach in new communities across the country, we have established a regular flow of openings. And based on our performance last year, there’s no doubt that we’ll be able to see that mission through.”

In addition to creating a new normal when it comes to franchise development openings, Buffalo Wings & Rings is also planning to continue making innovative upgrades to its menu and model in 2017. While the brand has core products line bone-in and boneless wings that have been perfected, it also has a long history of releasing unique LTOs for customers to enjoy.

The same can be said for Buffalo Wings & Rings’ franchise system. The brand is constantly finding ways to improve its position as a franchisor, from its corporate support team to its best practices. That’s why Buffalo Wings & Rings has been recognized as one of 2017’s top franchise opportunities by Franchise Business Review—the brand received positive feedback from its network of franchisees.

“Guest satisfaction is at an all-time high. The evolution of our menu is stronger than our competition—our team has created the perfect balance of classic items and seasonal offerings. That’s why we consistently get excellent reviews from our guests,” said Schram. “We’re also happy to hear that our franchisees are happy with the brand. We’re constantly improving to make this business ownership opportunity the best possible experience for them, and that’s not going to change.”

Buffalo Wings & Rings makes an active effort to help its franchisees grow alongside the brand. The brand’s franchise fee structure, for example, decreases as owners open up more units. The fee for a franchisee to open up their first location is $40,000, but that number drops to $30,000 for every other unit they sign on to develop. That’s why it’s no surprise that Buffalo Wings & Rings boasts numerous multi-unit owners.

“More than two thirds of our new franchise agreements come from our existing local owners. That shows that we’re a brand filled with passionate people who are invested in our company culture and goals,” said Schram. “Our top priority is to help our committed franchisees be as successful as possible. And with the momentum we have going into the new year, we’re excited to welcome even more local owners into our system in communities across the country.”